This invention relates to interactive media environments, and more particularly, to interactive media environments that monitor a user's viewing progress.
Interactive media environments allow users to customize a user's media experience using interactive media applications, such as interactive television applications. For example, a user may direct an interactive media application to display program reminders, record media content, search for media content, and enforce parental controls. Interactive media applications, such as interactive television program guides, may also be configured to provide a host of other interactive features, such as television program listings and summaries, pay-per-view (PPV) services, web browsing services, and other interactive features, to the user.
An interactive feature that is becoming increasingly important in interactive media environments is video-on-demand (VOD) services. Using VOD services, a user may be presented with selected media content on-request and at virtually any time specified by the user. VOD services are especially beneficial for users who are unable to view media content when the content is broadcast or otherwise made available to the user equipment. In these instances, a user that subscribes to a VOD service may request the missed content to be delivered or presented at a later time when the user is ready to view or receive the content.
Another important interactive feature available in some interactive media environments is digital video recording (DVR) services. Using DVR services, a user may program an interactive media application to automatically record a show (or series of shows) onto a storage medium or recording device. DVR services, like VOD services, allow a user to be presented with media content at times other than the times when the media content was originally broadcast or made available to the user equipment.
Known interactive media environments, through the use of DVR, VOD, and other similar services, allow a user to become disconnected with the rigid broadcast schedule of media content. Users may then watch the media content at the user's own pace. Some of this media content may be episodic content. Episodic content typically is self-contained within each episode and does not include a common storyline with other episodes of the media content. For example, episodes of the series “Seinfeld” are typically episodic. Viewers may watch one episode without watching all of the previous episodes in the series to understand the story. However, other media content may be serial in nature. Serial programming is any programming containing a temporal component, such as a recommended order of viewing. Serial programming may share themes and/or plot sequences with other episodes in the series. An example of serial programming includes episodes of the television series “24.” A user who watches an episode of the television series “24” out of sequence may not recognize or understand certain characters, themes, or plot elements that were introduced in previous, unwatched episodes. This often causes the viewer to be confused or lose interest in the media content. In order to fully comprehend episodes of serial programming, other related programming must typically be watched prior to watching the serial programming.
Known interactive media environments do not track and report a user's progress through a series of related programming, such as a broadcast television series or a set of movie sequels. Known interactive media environments also do not filter other media content (e.g., web, news, and advertising content) that may be presented on the user equipment so that this other content is consistent with the user's media viewing progress. For example, a user, who is watching a particular episode of a certain television series, may not wish to see spoilers or other irrelevant media content related to unwatched shows in a series of related programs.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods for monitoring a user's viewing progress of a user-selected series of related programs. It would also be desirable to use such monitoring techniques to provide a media environment that is consistent with the user's viewing progress.